Congressional (noncompetitive) Session #4: World Cup Fever

The fourth session of the International Congress of Stuff was called to order at the 19th hour of the 13th day of the 6th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. As it was anticipated that quorum would not be reached at this session of the congress, it was decided that this session would be noncompetitive but rather a gathering in celebration of the beginning of the FIFA World Cup. The theme was in concordance with the purpose of celebration such that session attendees were encouraged to prepare dishes representative of a country in the football competition. Cindy Dickman served as Commissioner Ad Honorem and session attendees included Lindsay Coco, her sister, Darbi Roberts, Rachel White, Tristan White, and the ever-elusive Wil Biddle. Dishes contributed included taco dip, chicken pot pie, salad, potato & tomato gratin, chicken skewers, a supreme recipe for chicken wings, all topped off with a brownie/cookie concoction and ice cream. As usual a good time was had by all, mirth and merriment abounding. Unfortunately most session attendees left before the actual game started, but those who did were dismayed to see Germany drill Australia as badly as they did. It was established that the next Congressional session will take place at the Coco Residence at the 19th hour of the 20th day of the 6th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. Session #5 will feature a battle of the lasagnas between Cindy Dickman and Rachel White with Tristan White serving as Commissioner.

Jill's 3 C's Enchiladas

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced
1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
16 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned
1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses
Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool. Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute. Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set. Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. Serve with Spanish rice and beans.

Congressional Session #3: Tex Mex Night

The third session of the International Congress of Stuff was called to order at the 19th hour of the 6th day of the 6th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. The theme of said session was "Tex Mex" and featured dueling Enchilada Recipes by Jill Duffy and Justin Jeffery. Jill Duffy's "3 C's Enchilada" (Corn, Chicken, and Cheddar) reigned (chicken?) supreme over Justin Jeffery's "4 Cheese, 4 Pepper Enchilada" although a both were lauded before the voting even began. Lindsay Coco served as Commissioner and voting members included Karen Stanfield, Dave Stanfield, Julie Chase, Jon Chase, Cindy Dickman, Darbi Roberts, Rachel White, Tristan White, and Lindsay's sister. Auxilliary dishes were contributed by Tristan White (Mexican Bruschetta), Darbi Roberts (Gazpacho), Karen Stanfield (Fried Ice Cream), Cindy Dickman (Chocolate Covered Caramels), and an as-yet-identified chef (Queso). General consensus was agreed upong that Cindy Dickman should henceforth resume her identity as a confectionary chef and sell her exceptionally delicious caramels outside of Dean & Deluca's in The Villagio Mall at a slightly lower price than those sold in the store so as to smite the over-priced uber-foodie giant. As usual a good time was had by all, mirth and merriment abounding, particularly so because of a rousing rendition of "The Greatest Game in The World" which commenced soon after the adjournment of the competition. It was established that the next Congressional session will take place at the White Residence at the 19th hour of the 13 day of the 6th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. Due to the fact that quorum will not be reached at this next Congressional Session, the session has been dubbed "inordinate" and therefore will not include voting. The theme shall be "foods of the world cup" and is to include dishes of one of the 6 teams competing that evening in the 3rd day of Group matches - Germany v Australia, Ghana v Serbia, and Algeria v Slovenia. While there will be no competitions, Cindy Dickman will serve as Commissioner Ad Honorem.

Darbi's Rhubarb Special

butter for greasing skillet/pan (about 1 tablespoon)

3/4 c flour
2/3 c pine nuts
1/2 c rolled oats
1/2 c natural cane (demerara) sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 c natural cane sugar (or demerara sugar)

1/2 lb hulled medium strawberries, cut into quarters
12 oz trimmed rhubarb, sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
2 whole peaches, cut into 1/4 in chunks

Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C, with a rack in the middle. Butter a 10-inch round dish, or a 9x9 square baking dish.

Combine the flour, pine nuts, oats, sugar, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Use a fork to stir in the butter, squeeze into a few patties, then place in the freezer to chill at least ten minutes.

Make the filling by whisking together the cornstarch and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the strawberries, peaches, and rhubarb, and toss until evenly coated. Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, remove the topping from the freezer, and crumble across the top of the filling - make sure you have big pieces and small.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden and the fruit juices are vigorously bubbling. You'll want to let things cool a bit before serving, 20 - 30 minutes.

Serves a small crowd, 8 - 12 servings.

Congressional Session #2: All-American Memorial Day Edition

The second session of the International Congress of Stuff was called to order at the 19th hour of the 31st day of the 5th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. This particular session was not originally intended but inevitably and inadvertantly became a celebration of the grand American tradition of Memorial Day, a national holiday meant to commemorate those who have lost their lives for the benefit of our greatly prized freedom. Tristan White and Jon Chase began with a "moderately competant display of manliness," also known as 'burger grilling. Tristan's Chipotle Smokehouse Cheddar Burger reigned supreme although honorable mention is merited by the creativity of Jon's burger name, the WTF or What the Fennel Burger. David Stanfield served as Commissioner and voting members included Karen Stanfield, Julie Chase, Cindy Dickman, Darbi Roberts, Rachel White, Jill Duffy, Justin Jeffery, Linsday Coco, Justin's friend, and Lindsay's sister. A second competition was held between Karen Stanfield and Darbi Roberts in a duel of the crumbles (or as Tristan so rightly corrected - crisps). Darbi's Rhubarb Special won over Karen's Summer Berry Crisp, although both were exceptionally fantastic. David Stanfield also served as commissioner and voting member included all those of above, minus the chefs, plus the previous two grillmasters. Of honorable mention was the supreme Potato Salad courtesy of the White's and the Stanfield's traditional baked beans, both adding to the festive spirit of the occasion. As usual a good time was had by all, mirth and merriment abounding. It was established that the next Congressional session will take place at the Dickman Residence at the 19th hour of the 6th day of the 6th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. The competition to take place will involve Justin Jeffery and Jill Duffy in the genre of enchiladas. Lindsay Coco will serve as Commissioner.

Potatoes Alioli

Spanish tapa style potato salad

Potatoes:

The potatoes can be prepared one of two ways.  They can be boiled as in traditional potato salad or pan fried.  Either way you will need 4-5 large potatoes cut into 1/3 to 1/2 inch chunks.

To boil, place potatoes in cold salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.  When potatoes are fork tender drain.
For pan fried, heat 1/8" of oil in a heavy deep skillet (cast iron works great).  Allow oil to heat until shimmering and then place potatoes in a single layer in the skillet.  You will most likely need to cook the potatoes in batches for about 10 minutes until golden brown and tender.

The potatoes can be dressed with garlic mayonnaise (below) when they are warm or room temperature.

Garlic Mayonnaise:

2	large egg yolks
2	teaspoons Dijon mustard
2	teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 3 teaspoons),
3/4	cup vegetable oil
1	tablespoon water
1/4	cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4	teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Process yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and garlic in food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. With machine running, slowly drizzle in vegetable oil, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and whisk in water. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil, about 30 seconds. Whisk in salt and pepper.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to all the flavors to meld. Can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days.

Burger Cookoff! Chipotle Smokehouse Burgers

Adapted slightly from Cooks Illustrated

Notes: This recipe will make 4 fairly large burgers. Be sure to press down the center of the burger as this really will make them cook up flat and not bulging in the middle.

3 medium cloves garlic , unpeeled
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 1/2 pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash liquid smoke (hickory)

vegetable oil for oiling grill rack
smoked cheddar
4 buns and desired toppings

Instructions

1. Toast unpeeled garlic cloves in small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and color deepens slightly, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and mince cloves or press through a garlic press.

2. Ignite about 6 quarts (1 large chimney or about 6 pounds) charcoal and burn until coals are completely covered with thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread coals evenly over grill bottom, position grill rack above the coals, and heat until medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for no longer than 3 or 4 seconds).

3. Meanwhile, break up ground chuck with your hands in medium bowl. Sprinkle garlic, chipotle chile en adobo, scallions, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper over meat; toss lightly with hands to distribute seasonings. Divide meat into four 6-ounce portions. Gently toss one portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Lightly flatten into patty 3/4-inch thick and about 4 1/2-inches in diameter. Gently press center of patty down until about 1/2-inch thick, creating a slight depression in each patty; repeat with remaining portions of meat.

4. Scrape hot grill rack clean with wire brush. Lightly dip wadded paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill rack. Grill patties, uncovered, without pressing down on them, until well seared on first side, about 2 1/2 minutes. Flip burgers with metal barbecue spatula; continue grilling about 2 minutes for rare, 2 1/2 minutes for medium-rare, or 3 minutes for medium. Top with smoked cheddar and serve immediately.

5. For Gas Grill: In Step 2, turn all burners on gas grill to high, close lid, and heat until very hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Follow Step 3 as written. Follow Step 4 as written, except grill patties 3 minutes per side for rare, 3 minutes on the first side and 3 1/2 minutes on the second side for medium-rare, or 3 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on second side for medium.

Tristan's Shepherd's Pie: Follow me my flock pie

Adapted from Rachel Ray:

Ingredients
3-4 Large Idaho Potatoes peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb beef or turkey bacon chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground lamb
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (I don't actually like smoked paprika, so we use the substitute of 1 1/2 teaspoons each of paprika and cumin)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme (I use 1 teaspoon of dried)
1 medium onion chopped
1 bag frozen mixed veggies (about 3 cups) (the recipe says dice up 2 carrots, 3 celery ribs, a small red bell pepper and add frozen peas. Too much work for me so I just put in what ever frozen veggies I have)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
fresh chives (optional but makes it look pretty)


Directions:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the potatoes while you make the turkey filling. There are also 2 alternatives. You can buy a package of ore ida frozen mashed potatoes. You cook them in the bag for like 10 min in the microwave, dump them out and mash them as directed below. You can also microwave the potatoes on high for 15-17 minutes and then mash them. Much easier and less mess than boiling. I've done both and both are good.

Heat a deep large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the skillet and then add the bacon and brown it up. Drain the excess fat. return 1 tablespoon of drippings back to the pan, add ground turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon. Season the turkey with the smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and thyme.

When the turkey is browned, add the onions and other veggies if they are fresh. If they are frozen, cook the onion for 3-4 minutes and then add frozen veggies.

Once the frozen veggies have thawed, add the flour (I usually have to add more as the veggies give off more water than the recipe expects) and stir. Cook for 2 minutes. The mixture will be very gummy and will want to burn easily, so keep stirring! Stir in the stock until all the flour has dissolved.

Take the pan off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup of the sour cream, return to low heat and simmer.

Preheat the broiler to high.

When the potatoes are tender (or done in the microwave) , stir a ladel of the cooking water into the egg and drain the potatoes (tempers the egg so it won't scramble when added to the hot potatoes, hot water or stock will work fine as well). Return the potatoes to the warm pot to dry them out a little. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream, the butter, and salt and pepper. Smash and mash the potatoes, mashing in the beaten, tempered egg. If the potatoes are too tight, mix in a splash of milk. They should be easy to spread unlike regular mashed potatoes but not runny.

Pour the turkey mixture into a medium casserole dish. Top with the smashed potatoes and spread evenly. I find it easiest to put spoonfuls of potatoes all around and then get them to connect. Be careful not to push down too hard as the filling is easily displaced. Place the casserole 5 inches from the hot broiler. Broil until the potatoes are golden at the edges. Garnish the casserole with the chives and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Tristan's Fantastic Irish Soda Bread

3	cups all-purpose flour
1	cup cake flour
1 1/2	teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2	teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2	teaspoons salt
2	tablespoons sugar
2	tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 1/2	cups low-fat buttermilk
1	tablespoon melted butter , optional

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust a rack to the center position. Place the flours, soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers until it is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Work the liquid into the flour mixture using a fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until the loose flour is just moistened. The dough will still be scrappy and uneven.

2. Form the dough into a round about 6 to 7 inches in diameter and place in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top of the loaf and place in the heated oven. Bake until nicely browned and a tested comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with a tablespoon of melted butter if desired. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Darbi's Shepherd's Pie: The All-Ireland

1lb Minced Lamb
2 medium onions, diced
1c mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, diced
1c Peas
2 Bay Leaves
Pinch of thyme
1/4c plain flour
1T salt
2c Lamb Stock
1lb Potatoes
1/4 stick butter
1/2c buttermilk
1c Sour Cream
1T salt
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Milk (as desired)
1c Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated

Dry fry the meat with onions, mushrooms, carrots, peas, and bay leaves for 8-10 minutes in a large stock pot or until meat has browned. Add flour and salt, stirring for a minute. Slowly blend in the stock and add the thyme. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and boils. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and place in a large ovenproof serving dish.

At the same time, cook potatoes (however you like, I do them in the microwave until extremely tender). Place in a large bowl and mash, keeping the skins on. Add butter, buttermilk, sour cream, salt, and garlic and mix until there are no lumps. Add milk to desired creaminess of potatoes. The creamier they are, the easier it is to spread them over the meat and veg mix. Spread the potatoes over the meat/veg mix and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400F.

Congressional Session #1: Shepherd's Pie

The first session of the International Congress of Stuff was called to order at the 19th hour of the 23rd day of the 5th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. Tristan White and Darbi Roberts faced off to determine who could make the best Shepherd's Pie. A close count revealed that Darbi Roberts (with "The All-Ireland") won by two votes over Tristan White (with ). Rachel White served as Commissioner and voting members included David Stanfield, Karen Stanfield, Julie Chase, Jon Chase, Cindy Dickman, and Justin Jeffery. Justin Harbor gave up his right to vote by arriving after the votes were cast and the competition was decided. Of honorable mention was the fantastic Irish Soda Bread made by Tristan White outside of the competition, as well as the Toffee Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie/Brownie contributed by Karen Stanfield and Cindy Dickman, respectively. A good time was had by all, mirth and merriment abounding. It was established that the next Congressional session will take place at the Stanfield Residence at the 19th hour of teh 30th day of teh 5th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini. The competition to take place will be a bake off between Karen Stanfield and Darbi Roberts in the category of "Crumbles" and that David Stanfield would serve as Commissioner.

Edict Of Wahm

1. Establishment
1. The Congress shall hold a session each Sunday night at 7pm at a location to be determined at the preceding Congressional session.
   
2. Rules of Competition
1. Each dish entering a competition must receive a pseudonym such as to hide the identity of the competitor.
2. There shall be no bribing, lobbying, or any other means of swaying on the part of the competitor in an effort to win votes in their favor.
3. Each dish shall be judged solely on the merit of that dish alone and may not be swayed by any additional dishes as an enhancement to the one designated for competition.
   
3. Voting Procedures
1. The Commissioner
1. The Commissioner will preside over the voting of each competition.
2. The Commissioner shall be a spouse or significant other of one of the competitors, chosen on the basis of who will be most likely to be swayed in voting as a result of the status of their relationship with the competitors.
   
3. The Commissioner for the next upcoming competition will be chosen at the closing of each competition.
4. The Commissioner cannot vote.
2. Voting will be done by blind ballot, collected and counted by the commissioner.
3. There shall be no discussion of one's own vote with the other voters before the casting of said vote.
   
4. Only one vote per present member at each session of the Congress may be counted in any given competition.
5. The competitors may not vote.
6. In the event of a tie, each competitor shall give an impassioned narrative regarding the nature of their dish and the inspiration thereof, followed by a revote.
   
4. Determination of Future Congresses
1. The winner of the Congress in session will decide the dish and the competitors for the next Congress to be called.

May 18, 2010 - The Council Of Wahm

On the 18th day of the 5th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini, the Council of Wahm was called during a ritual socialization exercise in Doha, Qatar, to establish the International Congress of Stuff as described in the Edict of Wahm. The initial draft of the Edict was drawn by the founding members of Rachel White (chief writer of the Edict), Tristan White, Darbi Roberts, David Stanfield, Jonathon Chase, Justin Harbor, Cindy Dickman, and Justin Jeffery. Julie Chase, Karen Stanfield, Jill Duffy, Chris Silva, and Lindsay Coco were represented in absentia at the Coucil of Wahm and included in decisions later made for amendments to the Edict. It was decided that henceforth meetings of the International Congress of Stuff would take place on Sunday nights at 7pm, the first one to commence on the 23rd day of the 5th month of the year 2010 Anno Domini.